[The Editors' Verdict] Information Leak Even the U.S. Couldn't Stop... Is Korea Prepared?

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While most Americans were enjoying the Easter holiday last weekend, U.S. defense intelligence officials were on edge. It was revealed through media reports that top-level intelligence related to Ukraine had been circulating in cyberspace for months. We were also within the sphere of influence. The news that former National Security Office Chief Kim Sung-han and former Foreign Secretary Lee Man-hee agonized over artillery support for Ukraine heated up political circles.

Let’s take a closer look. Among the leaked information, the report that Egypt, a U.S. ally in the Middle East, would supply 40,000 rockets to Russia was enough to shake international affairs. Equally shocking was the information that the United Arab Emirates (UAE), known for its close ties with the U.S., had agreed to cooperate with Russian intelligence agencies. The biggest blow was to Israel. The claim that Mossad, Israel’s top-tier intelligence agency, incited protesters dissatisfied with the judicial reforms pushed by current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is astonishing. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orb?n, from the NATO member country, reportedly called the U.S. the main adversary of his ruling party. While these details were spreading in cyberspace, authorities in the U.S. and other countries were seemingly inactive.

Countries involved, other than the U.S., have stated that the leaked information is fabricated. Even if true, they have no choice but to deny it. However, this is not an issue that can be dismissed. There are calls for the U.S. to prevent recurrence, but even if an apology is received, it is likely to remain at an unofficial level.

Alongside this issue, the Democratic Party criticized that the presidential office’s relocation to Yongsan led to eavesdropping. Hypothetically, if it had been the Blue House, wouldn’t the conversations have leaked to the U.S.? It is more likely that they would not have. Considering past cases where U.S. eavesdropping extended even to the German Chancellor, it seems difficult to escape U.S. surveillance attempts regardless of who holds power.

Former U.S. President Ronald Reagan, while attempting arms reduction talks with the Soviet Union, said, "Trust but verify." This phrase reflects the U.S. strategy of confirming the other party’s true intentions during diplomatic negotiations. We also need the ability to trust, verify, and defend, but there are clear limits.

However, this information leak should prompt a review of whether there were problems with existing security methods. The fact that the initial leak occurred in a Discord chatroom of about 20 military intelligence enthusiasts and that the leak continued for a considerable period by a 21-year-old soldier is significant. Unlike past disclosures, it has become clear that boastful information leaks are quite possible. Even the U.S., which believed it could eavesdrop on all global cyber conversations through the Prism surveillance system, was caught off guard.

Everyone handling information, including the government and corporations, must take responsibility and strengthen security efforts. Corporate-level responses cannot be overlooked either. It is no longer a secret that intelligence agents from various countries are flocking to Seoul to acquire information on our key industries such as semiconductors and secondary batteries. Only those who can protect their secrets will survive.

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